Tire chain



Feb; 15; 1927.

. I w. E. NEAL TIRE CHAIN Fil ed Deg. 10, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /vitueoom Feb. 15,1927. V 8,020

w. E. NEAL TIRE CHAIN Filed Dec. 10. 1925 s Sheets-*Shet 5 F (1 E D a Q .1 J J J J w a/ I, w 4 7 6 7 4 1/ 6' I" I W I I 6 7 6 7 4 4w 6) 7 J 4 J .5 .9 J 1? Z r/ as L J a 4 Q f 5 WILL A EQN'EA L;OF MIDDLETQWiT,OHItOi a was Gem.

- This inyention relates to tire'jchains. v v Thepobject; sto provide a rechamof strong and durable,construction which may feadily applied "to thetir'es of automov ,biles i-"t ucks, or other invehiclesito increase the tractlve force thereof, and which, after I being properly ap 'oliecl; may be given a ten} s1 n to stretch the same' tau'tly about the' posed of individuallinks; sirriilaflyibrflied,

except as to rights and lefts, said links he: ing foifm'eclof high gfafcle carbon steel or Q other spi ingfmetal capable {of-i withstanding v the wear and r olig'h usage to vwhich the same is subjected, the: material being "in the toxin 7 of heavy which may; be readily handled. anglshapecl topfoduce .the linlis at afloW :cos t. a v :A thither 1 obj ect, is v to shape the links v so form a continuous tabrichaving 'longitucli 'nal strands extending around the ci'rc imierence v0-1": the tire in parallel relation to each other, thestrands 'being of different ing connected. together by cross arm' fof ning part of the links, with thejres lt that the entire fabric is provided with a plural in anydirection to accommodate itself to the road and to the surfaceofjthe tire.

. in: addition to the above characteristic s,

means for directly engaging with the toad.- way and the tire, the link fabric composing the tire chain being so? constriicteclthat the 5 the same may lee applied to, the tire t e manner toipresent' certain "transverse megn:

hers .to the road when tra ellingfin:soft, deep mud or other bad condit ons, andpYyeversing the chain, or turning the same inelelnents afe placed next to the tifeg'asjvheii tiiayelling, on a hardc road silt-face that s covete clwith'a small arri'oluit, of 'snofWbi ice;

6? s bt e w e l pp fiim lfb tide the links comprising the fabr c j eing such a's'to geal'lse, a spr ng ngfir flexing of each taken L in: connection Xvit h'; the accompany ng (t min s forming a" part of 'this 's'pe'e'i .fiQflitlQIl V t, being nderstood, that .Wh'ile the tion, the, latter is *njotto be cjonfine dto strict that the same: may be connected togetheifto lengths to conform to thecross "sectional shape of the tire, and. the-several strands be; 7

" ity of spaced joints, stagge ifepl i 'elati'oh to eachother and 'foimingv a multlplicity of. sep arate, independent portions, free to move A final object is to provide a t re haviii g,

sideouton the tire,the,said members or p n Way tio wiithe sides the tirea y; co' ry the tr ad 'th i t- 't when iind er loajcli atfthef Contact fyith ftheg'road, with .the'jres1ilt'that Y ii the maxmiumj amoiintoftraction-viseafforded I h the inventio appIiedfin eith e f mam /Afull {and complete unfclefstandingofthe; inxfe'ntidn may be obtained ffromja consigle'ra tio'nof;theif llmving cltailecljd "otiioii;

"1 h'ara ers designate 'cori"espondin"g paftsthrou hoiit the "severa figures =4 7 [Figiife l afsi'cle'el'evat'ion offan autiomtm V bile 'Wheelhavm'g the improved 131116" chaint mit d; .o

E1gure2 s across sectloin ofjt'hetire hayng' the chainthfereon and cl'raWnO'nan eh:

, liig'uregfiis a detail perspectii e i i'eW' of iii'ifolcl'ed position, I i p v Refe qring more. particularly to '11 oftheclraiving's there issh'ownar ordinal y I v automobile Wheel ha' iiig lisiial jelly l; and Inouhte'cl thereon an ordinary pile-urn at i'c tiieQ, ahtl {the impi roi fcltire chainywhich is adap e te "bemade ihfcliffeieii-t sizes or lengths to 'eiitend aro ind then-tii 'e ith the abuttingehclsfiii pi opei' 'pos'itioii ana 'th snf ficieii slack thei'eiil pifiiit "olf the Iii gaaem iit o'ffthe terinin tl'poi'tiohs the ch rid oiifsiiiiicieiit; Width topaiit loo special size chain for particiilai'" size b'f emiion, Specifically pointe lont V j i construction, so connected together as to torm a flexible fabric having free universal inovelnen t on the snrtaceo'f the tire at any,

portion thereof, and when applied to the tire in the manner shown and "tor-he scribed, held from longitudinal or sidewise movement, or creeping bodlly'abont the 1111 6.

"Each link of the fabric, which is adapted to be made from a 1GlELiilX6lY heavy grade 01:

wire torined of spring steel or spring bronze 'or other suitable rnetal,fcoinprises a body 7 portion j3 whichextends long tudinally of the circumference of the tire when incorpon I ated in said fabric and applied to the wheel.

Referring to Figure 3, each'body portion 3 of each link, is provided at apoint substan tially n ii'dway between its ends with an in? tQIlllQCllfitfi COll or loop, 4 to constlt'ute'an eye arranged in a plane tollie fiat against the surface of the tire when the links are con nected together, "and it Wlll be observed, by

reference to s'aidlfigure, that all of the eyes 4 of the, connected linksextend in the saine direction to one side otthebody portion, the

same being arranged tangentially thereto.

.The body portlon of each hnkis provided 'to the-intermediate eye 4. V arm 721s extended a distance substantially to the opposite terminal eye 5.

ranged at right angles to the intermediate eye ,4 l and perpendicular vtogtlie' surface of the tire,v saidfeye 5 extendingequally above andbelowithe contiguous end of the body member." The other endof the body portion of the ire is formed into any outstandw ing loop 'or eyefi formed horizontally and in the same plane as the aforesaid intermediate coil or loop 4: and extending; outwardly and .inthesaine direction as thelatter, and the terminal portion of the wire constitutlng the; body member isthen extendedat right angles to thelatter to form a laterally disposed connecting arin 17 tangential with the:

side ofthet erniinal eye 6 which is adjacent The connecting equal to one-hal'i the length oi the body member, and i formed at its end into a verticaliy 'disposed eye 8 arranged perpendicularly to the eyes t and 6 and similarly All ofrthe links coinprising'the fabric of them-e chain are formed in the'aboveinanner except that the saineare equally divided into right and left handlinks and except that, when they are joined together, they form strandsrcoinposed of links having different lengths, as will now he explained, with reference to Figure 3 of the drawings. W

In: thisrligure itwill be seen that the several links are joined together to torni fabric "of a given width to fit a certain size tire, and that such connection fornis'a fabric having strands A, C, D, E'and F, all arranged parallel to each other in spacedrela tion and adapted to extend longitudinally around thejperiphery of a tire of said Size,

and'it is, of course, to be understood that siiich length and breadth of thefabric may 7 becfhange'd, in the proces srof manufacture, to suit different size tires, that'is, of greater orlessvdiarneternand' greater or less crosssectional area, by increasing the size of the links-or attaching inore links'atthe ends to lengthenthe fabric or by inserting or remov-- ing one or more strands to increase the Width oi the fabric.

It will be observed that" the links co nfprising the strands 1%.,0' and Ears Qall formed with the connecting arms 7 extending tothe left, as viewed in said Figure 3;;a' tra11 r located'at the upper ends of the'hodyine'nr hers 3', while the remaining, alternatestran'ds 1 13,1) andE are toirned'oi' links'having f their connecting arms 7 extending fIQlTltllQ opposite or lower ends'of the links,'though in the same I di rectiontowards the. left, as in the case ofjthe firstenained series,and the diiiference bctweenthese two series of 'lin'ks'constitutes what has been referred to aboveas right'andleft hand links; As associated'in Figure 3, the arms 7 of all ofthe links of the pa the entire chain have their arms 7 crossino' the. body members above'or on top of the latter, so that with this side of the chain con' tact-nigwitlr the road, when appliedto the tire, greater tractive force 1S: exerted to the wheel, by reason'of these arms projecting to formlabutinents for engaging in mud, snow or ice, as in the case of. very badroads,*and it should here be stated that this side of the chain is adapted for such usa e; WVhen,

however, merely rainyor slightly slipperyi roads are to be contended'with, the chainv may be" applied to the tire 1n the reverse manner, that is to say, with the 'cr'ossarln's 7 next to the tiref The principal pulling point, howeverfof the tire chain, no inatter'in which inanner V the same is applied ,to the tire, resides in the transversely-disposed perpendicular eyes 8 at the ends of the'cross connectingarn'is 7, as

he 'leithand lin the interniecliate"eyes orcoils 4: are alternately formed in reverse manner, the lowermost half of the body lcular arrangement of the rig 1t and member 3 in the links coinprisingt e strands B, D and ,F starting on top to forn the tangentiah'iiat eyes l, while in the lelllfillll llg strands AgCand E, "thel'ower nost half of the body nieinbersfstart to form 'saideyes n in beneatlrj This arran ement arovides additional engaging projections as de the, by reason of the transverse curvature of theface thereof, causes the arms 7 to rock the links and the perpendicular, longitudi nally-disposed eyes to assume a position slightly tangential to the center of the tire thus forcing said links at'an angle into the mud or snow, etc and securing a better holdtherein to increase the tractive force of thewheel. I .7

, When the tire chain is thus applied and.

held in position, a'further safeguard against dislodgment is employed in the form of rods c 8 as aforesaid, the 'eyes 9 being formed 14 arranged radially at eitherside on the wheel andhaving open eyes 15 at their outer;

1 terminals'for detachably engaging the tensioning hoops 9'at various points around the same. The opposite or inner'ends 16 of the rodsfare bent atan angle toextend inwardly towards eachother and transversely-of tho felly 1, the said transverse portions. being oppositely threaded for the reception of a tubular turnbuckle 17 which bears against the inner face of the said felly and eifeca' tually preventsnny outward movement or shifting of the'chain.

"A 'modificationof the links is shown in Figure -5;of the drawings wherein the ter minals of the wire, where forming the eyes 5 land 8 respectively, are slightly longer and I are wrapped about theradj'acent portions of" thjebody member 3 andthe lateral arm 7,as-

g The tensioning' hoops. or bands may also" be inodified, as shown in Figure 6, the same heingformed-of arcuate sections 9 having. terminal eyes 9* for flexibly connecting the same together and of a length to form a complete circular hoop when unfolded of similar proportions toflthe hoops 9; The ter minals of the end arcuate sections are oppositely threaded"forthereception of a turnbuckle '10? which draws the sectionaland collapsible ten'sioning hoop together when properlythreaded through the several eyes 7 small enough 'to be thus passed through.

Fronithe foregoing it willloeseen that a strong and durable tire chain has been provided which, when applied, fits the tire snugly around the entire active surface thereofand may be easily tightened to take upslack therein, the particular form of the links having the several springcoils or loops providing for the resilient leverage action of the body members of all the links independ ently of each other and ample ground-engaging projections are provided for causing the maximum amount of tractive force to the drive wheels of automobiles, etc.

lVhat is claimed 152+ I '1. A. tire chain comprising. a pluralityfof longitudinally disposed strands adapted to extend circumferentially around a tire, each strand being alternately composed of right and left handlinks. ,7

- 2. A tire chain comprising.aseries of longitudinal strands formed of spring links loosely connected together at their terminals,

the links of every alternate strand havinga transversely disposed arm extending from the upper end thereof and loosely, connected to an adjacent strand on one side to ,consti- V tute right hand links, while-the arms from the other alternate strands. extend in the same direction from theglower ends of the links thereof to constitute left hand links.

T 3; new chain comprising a series of I spaced, longitudinal strands connectedto c gether and adapted to be secured around a tire, each strand comprising a series of sprin metal' links of elon ated form bent to form terminal eyes for flexible connection with similareyes of adjacent links in the same strand, each link having a laterally disposed connecting arm terminatingr in' an .eye and having an intermediate eye for flexible connection with the'terminal eye on aflateral arm of a link in the adjacent strand. l

r 4. A tire chain composed of spring wire links formedand connectedtogether to provide a. mesh or fabric having substantially rectangular openings therethrough, each link having an elongated loodygmember adapted to extend longitudinally aroundthe circumference of the tire andlprovided with terminal eyes for connecting a series oflinks together to form a strand and havino'. a

spring coil to constitute an eye intermediate between theterminal eyes, and each link also having one terminal of the wire, where forming the-eye, extended at right angles thereto. and terminating in an eye for connection to an intermediate eye of a linkin the next adjacent strandto joint the several strands together. H i v 5.- A tire chain composed of spring metal links connected together to form longitudinal, parallel strands, the joints bet-ween the links of the several strands being staggered and each'link having, a terminal eye at each end for connection to each other in the'same,

strand, and an intermediate eye formed I thereon andextending toone side, each link llO also having one terminal extended at right' i angle's'thereto to form an arm parallel to the surfaceof the tire to impinge the road transversely'of the direction of travel and having a terminal eye at ts free end to connect with the intermedi'ate eye on a link in the other end of the"intermediate coil jor eye and at a slight "angle to the otherfterminal; extension and having a term'inalcoil or eye formed therein lying flator parallel tot-he intermediate eye to enable the. several links to'be connected into strandsythe last-named ,eye having its terminal extended: at right angles to the adjacent portion of the link to form a connecting arm, said-arm termlnating in an eye perpendicular .tothe tire to rimpinge the tire and the roadand toengage in the intermediateveye of another link'of an adjacent strand to connectall the links in a fabric having spaced, parallel strands to extend aroundthetire'. I l r 7 7; A tire chain composed of; links toff: spring metal Wire bent into substantlal ,L-

- shape, each link having a--longitu'dinally disposed body portion and a right angular ly d sposed connecting armjoined thereto by a spring coil or eye adapted to he flat against "the tire, said body portion also havlng an intermedlate spring 0011 or eye 7 adapted to lie flat against the tire,,the oppositeend", of the body portion and the free end of the connecting armeach terminatingin an eye arranged perpendicularly to the other eyes and adapted, When the tire chain is applied and under tension, to

engage the road or ground at an angle,

8. 'A tire chain composed'of links of,

' spring metal vvire be'nt into substantial L-' shape each link having a longitudinally disposed body portion and a;right angularly disposed, connecting arm joined thereto by a spring coilor eye adapted to l e flat against the tire, said body portion also having an intermediate spring coil or eye adapted to lie fiat against the tire,'the opposite end of the body portion and the free end of the connecting armieach terminating in an eye arranged perpendicularly toftheother eyes, said flat eye at the angle of 'each L- shaped link being adapted to engage with the terminal, perpendicular eye of another link, and the perpendicular eye at the end of the connecting arm being adapted to engage With the flat, intermediate eye of still an-,

other link, to provide a mesh or fabric having flexible 9. A' tire chain composed of links of spring metal wire bent into substantial L- shape, each link having alongitudinally disposed body portion and a right angularly; disposed connecting arm joined thereto by jointsin staggered relation toeach; other. I

lspring "or eye to liejflat,

ed to lie fiat against the tire, of thebody portion and the the said connecting arms ofall the links extendingiinthe same transverse direction, they are engaged With the interme eyes and the body terminal eyesiare when diate connected, that series 'ofunconnected prol jecting-arms at one margin of the tirechain fabric extending laterally on the tire when tensi'onin'g hoopadapted" to be threaded through the terminal eyes of said I applied, a flexible, circular, having a turn-buckle and laterally disposed armsto tighten the-tire chain on that side,'a series of independent,

laterally disposed links connected to the in- I termediateleyes'at the other, margin of said fabric, said independent links terminating-- in eyes at their free-ends, and another, Isimilar tensioning hoop provided With a turnbuckle and adapted to engage said terminal 'eyesto exert tension on that side ofthe tire I chain and holdthe same in position on the tire.. o s

10 A tire chain composed of spring metal Wire links 7 each bent to form a longitudin'algbody portion having spring coils or eyes and a transverse connecting arm having a terminal eye for connecting the links to- I get-her to form a fabric, certain of said eyes being flat and the; "thereto to engage the connecting arms all extending in one direction and alllpassing'across ontop of the body portions When the-tire chain isapplied' in oneposition to enhance the traction in bad roads, and being arranged ,under the body portions and adjacent to the tire When the "others perpendicular ground or road, the

chain is applied infthe reverse position for good roads, said transverse connecting arms extending, from thesame I p ternate, "lOIIgItHdIIIEIl series of linksjand loo ends of every alfrom the opposite ends .ofthose links of the I i other 'longitudinal' series, to form a' uniformly flexible fabric having staggered load. I

In testimony, that claim theforegoing' as my own,

I have hereto affixed my signature. I I I WILLIAM E. NEAL joints and resilient inall directions under. 

